Mercury switch



July 10, 1928. 1,676,408

- J. P. OSHEA MERCURY SWITCH F-iled Nov. 21, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l HIS AORNEY July 10, 1928. 1,676,408

J. P. OSHEA MERCURY SWITCH Filed Nov. 21, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet Y2INVENTOR HIS ATTO RPlEY the th tion between it and the iron to allowmove- 35 after Patented July 10, 1.928.

PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES P. osnm, or new YORK, N. Y.,

ASSIGNOR T0 coOrE'B-nnwrrr ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEWJERSEY.

MERCURY swrrcn.

Application filed November 21, 1923. Serial No. 675,981.

My present invention relates to switching means for electrical apparatuswhich are or may be subjected to rectilinear or other motion. It relatesparticularly to switching means for electrically heated ilatirons andthe arrangement thereof in the iron, but is applicable in the artsgenerally in the use of the fluid type or mercury switch in apparatussubjected to motion or in which the 10 fluid switch is subjected tomotion.

Considerable trouble is experienced as a result of undesired movement ofthe fluid of p the switch from the motion of the apparatus in which itis used resulting in the intermittent openin and closing of the switch.

I also fin it desirable that means be provided for opening a switch in aflatiron automatically when the iron is not in actual use in the ironingoperation.

It is the object of my invention to provide an arrangement of liquidswitches in moving apparatus or in apparatus subjected tomotlon Suchthat will p eclude the undesired ini terruption of the circuit due tothe flow of 28 the liquid of the switch resulting from the motion of theapparatus in use.

Another object of my invention is to provide means for automaticallyopening a flatiron switch when the flatiron is not held ,closed bypressure of the hand ofthe operator of the .iron.

Another object of my invention isto provide means for keeping the switchof an electric flatiron closed for a definite interval pressure has.been released from the han e. a W

, I, find that 'by mounting a fluid switch which'fis subjected to motionin the use of the apparatus to which it is applied transversely 0 withrespect to the average path of said movement that the movement of suchliquid is reduced to a minimum for such a switch and thatgfor most usessuch for example as in a flatiron that such reduced motion will notresult in the undesired opening of the switch.

- In such a flatiron I fin that the best place to mount the switch isthe middle or rear thereof, or atsome point therebetween.

I also find that by making oue of the. straps connecting the handle ofthe-, iron, to;

the iron 'n the form of a spring and making oflsnchstraps with a looseconnecment thereof by or against the pressure of to move the switch ofthe iron to open it through a connection between the switch and thehandle as, for instance, between the switch and the lower end of saidsecond strap. Y

In the accompanying drawings I which form a part of this specificationand in which like characters refer to like parts I have shown in: p v

1, plan view in part section of an electrica ly switch ,in the circuitthereof mounted transversely of the axis of the iron, and atthe rearthereof.

Fig. 2, a vertical sectional view through line 2-2 of Figure 1 lookingin the direction of the arrow showing a mercury switch mounted in anelectric closed position.

Fig. 3, a view similar to Figure 2 showing the switch in the circuitopening position. I Fig. 4 is a longitudinal elevation view of aflatiron embodying the switch opening handle feature showin in dottedlines the open switch position 0 the handle and rear stra F1g. 5, is across-sectional view of the flatiron of Figure 4 and showing the switchin the closed position. I r i Fig. 6, is a cross-sectional view similarto that in Figure 5 butwith the switch closed.

Fig. 7, is a cross-sectional view of a flat iron having a mercury switchin which is a flow restricting constriction, the switch as shownbeing'in the circuit opening position and the mercury therein not havingall flowed to the lower end thereof.

In'Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings the mercury switch l'connected inseries with resistance heater 3 of sadiron 2 is mounted trans versely ofthe axis of the sadiron and at the rear thereof and is held to thecasing- 4 of the iron by means of strap 5 around the body of the switchwhich has a pivotal heated flatiron showing a mercury flatiron and inthe around oneend of the body of the switch is-- pivotally connected tothe handle 9 by means got the rod' IO which extends through the casing't and serves for the movement of the switch for the opening and closingthereof for the energization and deenergiz'ation of the heating e ement.vOne end of the switch 1 is connected through a flexible lead 13 to theconnection stud 11 and the other end is connected to one end of theresistance heater 3, the other end of said heater being connected to theconnection stud 12.

It is of course understood that by tilting the iron either backward,forward, or to v one side that the circuit through the switch and sothrough the heating element can be opened by the movement of the mercurythrough such change of position instead of moving the switch by means ofhandle 9.

In the Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings the mercury switch 1 connectedwith resistance heater 3 of flatiron 2 is mounted transversely'of theaxis of the sadiron and at the rear thereof and is held to the casing 4of the iron by means of strap 5 around the-body of the switch which hasa pivotal connection 6 with the lug 7 mounted inside the top of saidcasing. Another strap 8 around the body of theswitch is pivotallyconnected to the strap 20 of the handle by means of the rod 21 1 whichextends through the casing 4 and is rivetedto the lower end of saidstrap 20. The handle 15 of the iron is held thereto by means of straps20 and 16, the latter of which has its lower end fixed to the casing 4and is formed as a spring which tends to move handle 15 away from theiron. The rod 21 has fixed to it the movement limiting flange 17 whichallows of suflicient movevment of the handle and therethrough of switch1 to cause the mercury therein to flow to open the circuit therethroughwhen spring strap 16 moves them. The washer 18 is of -some comparativelysoft material and is interposed between casing 4 and the lower end ofstrap 20 to prevent excessive wear therebetween. The closing of switch 1for the energization of the heating element is efiected by pressureexerted through the hand of operator of the iron in the use thereof. Oneend of the switch 1 is connected through a flexible lead 13 to theconnection stud 12 and the other end is connected to one endof theresistance heater 3, the other end of said heater being connected to theconnection stud 12. 1

In the use. of the sadiron the motion thereof in ironing being for themost part longitudinal there will be little tendency of the mercury inswitch *1 to move to open the circuit therethrough, and the switch beingplaced at or near the rear of the iron lateral movement of the point ofthe iron for ironing seams, tucks, etc, will have little tendency tocause movement of the mercury of the switch to open the circuittherethrough. Forsome purposes I find that it is best to mount the fluidswitch not exactly at right angles across the axis, of the ironbut at anangle to suit the average path of the iron in such use, as for instancefor some purposes a right handed person moves the iron in an averagepath which is at an angle to the right or clockwise from the axis of theiron. I accordngly suit the location of the switch to the conditions ofthe particular or average use to which it is subjected.

Figures 5 and 6 but in this case the switch has a constriction 23between the terminals" thereof to form a flow restricting baflie in thepath of the mercury whereby the switch is still. closed for a space oftime if it is moved into the open circuit position. This restriction isformed by indenting the tube of the switch body from the upper sidethereof whereby a direct path of small cross section is provided betweenthe two ends of the switch. The same results are obtained by connectingthe two bulbous ends of the switch by a capillary tube section.

In the operation of this form of my invention when the flatiron is'inuse and is set aside for a short while to arrange the articles beingironed, the current will not be intermittently turned on and off becausethe mercury path between the terminals of the switch will not beimmediately broken when pressure is released from the handle of the ironand spring 16 moves the switch 22 into the open circuit positioruthetiming of the mercury flow beof suitable cross ing' such as to allow forsuch arrangements between the time the pressure is released from thehandle and the time the pressure is resumed for most purposes.

- Likewise the timing oi mercury flow in the switch for some purposes ismade so as to take about the same time as is required to bring and insuch case means comprising a tube of large cross section are provided toallow the mercury to flow quickly from the open circult position intothe closed circuit position.

.For the same purpose in somejrases I use a mercury switch of theordinary type with means such as a timed spring release interposedbetween the operating spring strap 16 and said switch to delay theopening thereof for a predetermined time after pressure is released'fromhandle 15,

I claim as my invention:

1. In an electric flatiron in combination,

a body having an electric heating element and a plvotally mounted switchfor said ele -menttherein, a handle gripping member for said iron, andtwo strap connections between said handle and said iron one of I whichhas a moving connection to said iron and a pivotal connection to saidswitch and the other of said straps being in the form of a springtending to move and hold said switch in the open circuit position.

2. In an electric flatiron, in combination, a body having an electricheating element and a pivotally mounted mercur Y switch for said elementtherein, a hand e gripping 10 member for said iron, and two strapconnections between said handle and said iron one of which has a movingconnection to said iron and a pivotal connection to said mercury switchand the other of said straps being 1n the form of a spring tending tomove and 15 hold said mercury switch in the open circuit position.

Signed at Hoboken in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey this19th day of November, A. D. 1923. V

JAMES P. OSHEA

